Human Papilloma Virus vaccine and men

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection and diseases in men

  • HPV in males associated with development of genital warts on the penis and in the genital area.
  • HPV infection is associated with the development of up to:
    • 90% of anal cancers (more common among men who have sex with men),
    • 40 to 50% of cancers of the penis,
    • 10 to 20% of cancers of the mouth, head, and neck.

HPV vaccine approved for men by Health Canada

  • HPV vaccine Gardasil® was approved for use in men by Health Canada for prevention of genital warts in February 2010.
  • Gardasil® vaccine contains four HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18.
  • The vaccine is recommended to be given in 3 doses in a 0, 2 & 6 month schedule.
  • This vaccine is not publicly funded for menin British Columbia. It can be purchased with a prescription from your doctor, pharmacist or travel clinic.

Effectiveness of HPV vaccine in men

  • Gardasil® has demonstrated high effectiveness for prevention of genital warts.
  • The effectiveness for prevention of genital warts related to HPV types 6, 11, 16, or 18 among men who received all 3 vaccine doses was 89.4%.
  • The effectiveness study enrolled 4,065 men between the ages of 16 and 26 years old. Thestudy was done with men from North America, South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.
  • Just like with women, this vaccine onlyworks if it is given before a man gets infected with the HPV virus. It does not get rid of the HPV virus if a man is already infected. No evidence of effectiveness was observed among males who were infected with HPV virus before getting the vaccine.

Reactions after getting the vaccine

Reactions after HPV vaccine has been given to men are similar to the reactions that have been seen when the vaccine is given to women.
  • Most common reactions were:
    • Redness and swelling where the shot was given.
    • Some men in the study reported having a headache or fever after the shot
  • There have been no episodes of fainting reported.
  • Vaccine safety is closely monitored for every vaccine. Just like with other vaccines the safety profile of the HPV vaccine in men will continue to be monitored.